Fastening-inserting machine



Filed Feb. 28, 1 940 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 Patented May 20, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE Application February 28, 1940, Serial No. 321,292 In Great Britain April 1, 1939 12 Claims.

This invention relates to fastening-inserting machines and is herein illustrated as applied to a machine of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,815,295, granted on July 21, 1931, upon an application of George Godd-u, for driving fastenings to fasten shoe uppersin lasted position. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to machines of that particular type nor to machines 'for fastening shoe uppers.

Machines of the type shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent comprise in their organization a driver for driving fastenings, such as staples, from a guiding nozzle through the shoe upper and into an insole to fasten the upper to the insole, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the shoe and thus to cause them to follow curved paths such as to anchor them efiectively in the insole without necessarily penetrating entirely through the latter. In such machines the driver moves relatively to the deflector at an inclination to that face of the work into which the staple is driven,

and the driving stroke of the driver terminates is some danger of the roughing tool damaging the crossbars of the staples or removing one or more of the staples if their crossbars are flush with the outer surface of; the work" or are left slightly upstanding at the time when the roughing opera tion is performed. Any damage to the crossbar of a staple will, of course, lessen its holding power, and if one or more of the staples are removed in the roughing operation, the upper will be left unsecured in locations where that occurs. In order to avoid any danger of damage to, or removal of; the staples, it is desirable, therefore, that the staples be driven into the work far' enough to cause their crossbars to become embedded in the work and thus located below that face of the work which is to be subsequently roughened. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide in a machine of the above-mentioned type means for accomplishing that: result. For the purpose in view, the invention in one important aspect provides means for effecting relative movement of the driver and the deflector near the end of the operative movement of the driver to cause the driver to drive the staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbar in the work. As herein illustrated, means is provided for imparting to the driver, at a predetermined time in its operative stroke and substantially at the time when the crossbar of the staple is engaged by the deflector, a tipping movement about an axis extending laterally of the driver in a direction. to cause its staple-engaging end to move heightwise of the deflector toward the work, the axis of tipping movement being so located as to cause the staple-engaging end of the driver to move in a path substantially parallel to the deflecting, face of the deflector. The driverthus, by continued engagement with the crossbar of the staple, acts to force the curved legs of the staple fully into the work and to embed the crossbar of the staple in the work. Conveniently and as herein shown, the above-mentioned guiding nozzle is utilized to impart to the driver its tipping movement, and, in accordance with further features of the invention, novel driver-operating means is provided for effecting and controlling the tipping movement of the guiding nozzle.

The above and other novel features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a view in'left-hand side elevation of a portion of the head of the machine in which the invention is embodied, showing the parts in the positions they assume substantially at the end of the staple-drivingoperation;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation of aportion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, but showing the relative positions of the parts at the time when the driver is in its fully retracted position;

Fig. 3 is a. section on the line III-I11 of Fig. 2;

Fig; 4 is a View looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V--V of Fig. l.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent and, accordingly, only such features of the general organization as it is necessary to refer to for an understanding of the invention will be described herein in detail. It will be understood that a machine of this typeis provided with a gripper (not herein shown) which pulls the upper over the last and insole successively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom as the operator presents the shoe in positions determined by a sole rest l and side gage l2. In time relation to the pulling of the upper in each location a staple is driven from a guiding nozzle M by a driver 16 to fasten the upper to the insole. As the staple is driven, its.

legs are engaged by a deflector l8, the lowerend of which is positioned opposite to the end of' the nozzle Hi, the deflector acting tocurve diiferent portions of the legs successively before the different respective portions enter the shoe to cause the legs to follow curved paths so as to anchor them eifectively in the insole, usually without en tirely penetrating through the insole. The driver 16, the deflector l8, and other parts associated therewith are carried by a slide 20 mounted on a guiding member 22 for forward movement toward the operator in a downwardly inclined path. In predetermined time relation to each upperpulling operation, the slide 20 is moved forwardly to carry the nozzle l6 and other parts associated therewith inwardly over the shoe bottom to lay the margin of the upper over the insole, whereupon the staple is driven and the slide 20 is then retracted to its starting position.

The deflector i8 is mounted on a pivot pin 24 for turning movement to vary the distance between the portion thereof that engages the legs of the staple and the points where the legs emerge from. the end of the staple nozzle l4 and thus to vary the degree or radius of curvature imparted V the axis of the pin 48 in a direction to move the to the legs in the driving operation, the position of the deflector being determined by an eccentric 26 (Fig. 1) formed on a shaft 28 which is carried by the slide and is mounted for turning movement to adjust the eccentric. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the eccentric 26 bears on an arm 30 formed on the deflector l8 and thus limits movement of the deflector about the axis of the pin 24 in a direction to increase the distance between its lower end and the outlet end of the nozzle l4 and, accordingly, toincrease the radius of curvature of the staple legs. It will be understood that the arm 30 is forced against the eccentric by reason of the pressure applied to the deflectorin the staple-driving operation, and there is suflicient friction tending to prevent the deflector from turning about its axis to cause it to maintain any position determined by the eccentric.

As also disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,815,295, the slide 20 carries staple-forming mechanism arranged to form a staple in response to the forward movement of the slide in a location above the path of movement of the driver '16, and mechanism for transfen-ing the staple from forming position to a position in alinement with the driver. The transfer ring mechanism comprises a member 32 fastened at its upper end to a slide 34 which is vertically movable in a guid'eway 36 formed in the slide 20. An ear 38 on the slide 34 is connected by a link 40 to mechanism (not shown) for operating the slide 34 to impart staple-transferring movement yieldingly to the member 32 at the proper time in the cycle and for thereafter returning the member to starting position. For limiting the downward movement of the transferring member 32, there is provided a stop screw 42 threaded in a forward extension of the slide 20 the head of which is engaged by a lug 44 extending downwardly from the car 38 on the slide 34. It will be understood that the staple is guided during its transfer by the inside former 46 of the stapleforming mechanism, this member in the illustrated construction being formed in two parts for purposes hereinafter more particularly described, and that the transferring member 32 at its lower end is so shaped as to tip the staple and position it in proper relation to the path of movement of the driver at the end of the transferring operation. ,It will be further understood that the lower end of the transferring member assists in guiding the legs of the staple in the driving operation.

For purposes of this invention, the illustrated machine is provided with means for effecting near the endof each operative movement of the driver movement of the driver relatively to the deflector to cause the driver todrive each staple fully into the work to insure that its crossbar will be firmly embedded in the work. For the purpose in view, the guiding nozzle [4 in the illustrated construction is mounted to tip about the axis of a horizontal pin 48 projecting from a forward extension 50 on the slide 20, and there is provided driver-operating means so constructed that, at a predetermined time in the operation of the driver, preferably substantially at the time when the crossbar of the staple is engaged by the deflector, the guiding nozzle I4 is tipped about staple-engaging end of the driver heightwise of the deflector toward the work, the .pin 48 being so located that as the driver is thus tipped with j the guiding nozzle during the remaining portion of its operative stroke its staple-engaging end moves in a path substantially parallel to the deflecting face of the deflector. The pin 48, which extends laterally of the line of drive of the staples,

,-is located just above a guideway 52in the nozzle l4 that extends parallel to the length of the driver l6 and into which the driver normally extends. The driver I 6 is secured to a driver slide 54 which is movable in guideways 58 (Fig. 5) formed in .the side walls of a forward extension of the noz zle l4. Pivotally connected at 58 to the slide 54 is a link 60 which is pivotally connected at its opposite end to one arm 62 of a bell-crank lever 64 fulcrumed on a laterally extending pin 86 se- ;cured in a bracket 68 on the slide 20. The bellcrank lever 84 has a second arm 10 which is connected by a link 12 to the usual driver slide operating lever 14, the link 12 being pivotally connected at its upper end to an ear [6 on the lever :74 by a pivot pin 15. The bracket 68 extends upwardly in front of the slide 20 and has formed on it a. rearwardly extending dovetail-shaped tongue 18 that engages a similarly shaped guideway in the slide 20, the tongue and guideway being parallel to the driver l6 and the guideway 52 in the nozzle l4 whenthe' parts are initially at rest with the driver in retracted position. The

bracket 68 is adjustable relatively to the slide 28 by means of a screw 82 threaded in the slide 20 "and secured against endwise movement relatively 88 carries a roll 96 which operates in a cam slot 98 in the lever 14, the cam slot being so formed .that staple driving movement is imparted to the lever It by upward movement of this arm. It will be understood that the lever 88 is swung in a direction to retract the driver and to tension the spring 92 in response to the forward movement of the slide 20 by the engagement of a latch I09 with the lower end of a plate IE2 on a downward ly extending arm Hi4 of the bell-crank lever 88, and that means is provided substantially the same as that shown in the previously mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,815,295 for operating the latch to release the bell-crank lever 88 to the action of the spring 92 after the slide 20 has completed its forward movement.

When the driver I6 is in its initially retracted position (Fig. 2) the link 68, which is pivotally connected to the driver slide 58, is supported by the arms 62 and 84 in substantially parallel relation to the driver It and the guideway 52 in the guiding nozzle I4. As the lever I4 is swung in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) in response to upward movement of the arm 94, the bell-crank lever 64 is swung about its pivot 86 in a direction to impart staple-driving movement to the driver I6 through the link 63 and the slide 54. The relative lengths and positions of the arms 62 and 84 are such that, as the bell-crank lever 64 is thus swung, the link 60 receives a movement in a substantially straight-line path during the greater portion of the movement of the driver It toward the deflector I8 so that there is no substantial tendency for the guiding nozzle It to tip about the axis of its supporting pin 48. Near the end of the operative movement of the driver I 6, however, and substantially at the time when the crossbar of the staple is engaged by the deflector I8, the arm 62 acts on the link 60 to swing it relatively to the idly swinging arm 84 in a direction to elevate the upper end of the guiding nozzle I4. In response to the swinging movement of the link 60, the driver I6 and the guiding nozzle I4 are tipped about the axis of the pin dB in a direction to cause the staple-engaging end of the driver to move heightwise of the deflector toward the work in a path substantially parallel to the deflecting face of the deflector, the driver as it thus moves relatively to the deflector acting by engagement with the crossbar of the staple to force the legs of the curved staple fully into the work and to embed the crossbar of the staple in the work. The operative movement of the arm 94 under the force of the spring 92 is limited by engagement of the arm with a fibre disk I secured in a block 188 adjustably secured to the head II!) of the machine (Fig. 1). In response to the downward swinging movement of the lever 94 to retract the driver, the link 60 is first swung reversely to return the guiding nozzle I4 to its initial position, after which the driver moves relatively to the deflector IS in a substantially straigh-line path to its fully retracted position.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the bell-crank lever 84 and the bracket 68 have formed therein respectively openings I52, IM which are of the same size and are arranged to receive the pivot pin I5. These openings are 50 positioned in the respective parts that they are in alinement with each other at that time in the swinging movement of the bell-crank lever 68 when the link 68 begins its swinging movement relatively to the arm 84 to tip the guiding nozzle I4 and the driver It about the axis of the pin 48. With the parts in their initial starting positions,

the operator may, by removing the pivot pin I5, disconnect the link I2 and the lever I4, move the bell-crank lever 64 relatively to the bracket 68 to move the opening I I2 into alinement with the opening H4, and insert therein the pin I5 to hold the parts in the positions above described. It will be understood that it' is at this time in the operation of the machine when the driver should approach closest to the deflecting face of the deflector I8. It will be understood also that the driver remains substantially in that relation to the deflector during the remaining portion of its operative stroke despite the tipping of the nozzle in a direction to move the driver away from the deflector by reason of the continued movement of the driver relatively to the nozzle along the guideway 52 in the nozzle. As a result the staple-engaging end of the driver moves in a path substantially parallel to the deflecting face of the deflector. Accordingly, with the parts held in the position above described by the pivot pin I5, the operator may by rotating the screw 82 adjust the bracket 68 relatively to the slide 20 to position the driver with its staple-engaging end in proper relation to the deflecting face of the deflector.

As previously pointed out, the inside former 46 in the illustrated machine is formed in two parts, the lower portion IIB of which is secured in the guiding nozzle I 4 by rivets H8 (Figs. 1 and 2). The upper surface of the lower portion II 5 of the inside former is flush with the upper edges of the side walls of the guiding nozzle I4 (Fig. 3) and, when the parts are in their initial positions, is in engagement with the bottom face I20 of the upper portion of the inside former 45. A spring I22, secured at one end to a block I24 supported by the pin 85 and bearing at its opposite end against a lug I26 on the guiding nozzle I4, tends normally to hold the guiding nozzle I4 with the lower portion of the inside former in engagement with the upper portion thereof, thus forming a continuous path for the staple as it is transferred from forming position into alinement with the driver It by the transferring member 32, but permits tipping movement of the nozzle I4 in the direction to lower the staple-engaging end of the driver I6 in response to the swinging movement of the link 60 relatively to the arm 84. By reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that there is sufiicient clearance between the parts of the guiding nozzle I4 and the transferring member 32 to permit the nozzle member to tip relatively to the transferring member far enough to cause the driver I 6 to drive the legs of the curved staple into the work until the staple-engaging end of the driver presses firmly on the work which is upheld by the operator against the deflector. In the return of the parts to starting positions, the upper portion of the inside former acts as a stop to determine the initial position of the guiding nozzle I4 relatively to the deflector I8 and the driver-operating parts.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fastening-inserting machine, the com-,

bination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple before they enter the work and for bending said legs in planes extending laterally of the crossbar of the staple to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of means for eifecting relative movement of the driver and the deflector in a direction at an angle to the line of drive near the end of each operative movement of the driver to cause the driver to drive each staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbar in the work.

2. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple before they enter the work and for bending said legs in planes extending laterally of the crossbar of the staple to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of means for imparting to the driver substantially at the end of its driving stroke a tipping movement relatively to the deflector toward the work to cause the driver to force each staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbarin the work.

3. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of means for imparting to the driver a movement toward the deflector in one direction to drive the staple against the deflector and then a movement relatively to the deflector in a different direction to complete the driving of the staple fully into the work.

4. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple to curve different portionsof the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of means for imparting to the driver movement relatively to the deflector at an angle to that face of the work into which the staple is to be driven and then movement relatively to that face at a greater angle substantially at the end of its operative stroke to complete the driving of the staple fully into the work. v

5. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of means for moving the driver toward the deflector in a direction inclined to that face of the work intowhich the staple is to be driven and then in a direction at a greater inclination to that face substantially at the time in the operation of the driver when the crossbar of the staple has been engaged by the deflector to cause the driver to drive the staple fully into the work.

6. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of means for imparting to the driver a substantially straightline movement toward the deflector to drive a staple against the deflector and for then tipping the driver about an axis extending laterally of the line of drive of the staples near the end of its operative movement to cause the driver to drive the staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbar in the work.

7. In a fastening-inserting machinathe combination with a staple-guiding nozzle, a driver for driving a staple from said nozzle, and a deflector opposite to the outlet end of said nozzle for engaging the legs of the staple before they enter the work and for curving them in the driving operation to cause the staple legs to follow curved paths in the work, of means for operating the driver and for imparting to said staple nozzle near the end of the operative movement of the driver a tipping movement about an axis so located as to cause the staple-engaging end of the driver to follow a path substantially parallel to the deflecting face of the deflector to cause the driver to drive the staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbar in the work.

8. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with work-positioning means, a stapleguiding nozzle having a guideway for a staple inclined at an angle to that face of the work into which the staple is to be driven, and a deflector opposite to the outlet end of said nozzle for engaging the legs of the staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of a driver for driving a staple through said nozzle in the direction of said guideway, and means for operating the driver and for imparting to said staple-guiding nozzle near the end of the operative movement of the driver a tipping movement about an axis extending laterally of the line of drive of the staple to cause the driver to move at a greater angle to the work to drive the staple fully into the work.

9. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with work-positioning means, a stapleguiding nozzle having a guideway for a staple inclined at an angle to that face of the work into which the staple is to be driven, said nozzle being mounted for tipping movement about an axis extending laterally of the line of drive of the staple, and a deflector opposite to the outlet end of said nozzle for engaging the legs of the staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of a driver for driving a staple through said nozzle in the direction of said guideway, and means for operating the driver and for tipping the nozzle about its axis in a direction to cause the staple-engaging end ofthe driver to move relatively to the deflector toward the work to force the staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbar in the work, said means comprising a slide movable in a guideway in said nozzle, a lever for operating said slide, a link connecting the slide and said lever, and a pair of arms of unequal lengths pivotally connected to said link and so arranged as to cause the movement of the lever to be transmitted to theslide, first in a substantially straight-line path parallel to the driver and then in a path at an angle to the driver to tip the nozzle substantially at the end of the operative movement of the driver.

10. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with work-positioning means, a stapleguiding nozzle having a guideway for a staple inclined at an angle to that face of the work into which the staple is to be driven, said nozzle being mounted for tipping movement about an axis extending laterally of the line of drive of the staple, and a deflector opposite to the outlet end of said nozzle for engaging the legs of the staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of a driver for driving a staple through said nozzle in the direction of said guideway, and means for imparting to the driver its staple-driving movement and for tipping said nozzle about its axis in a direction to cause the staple-engaging end of the driver to move relatively to the deflector toward the work to force the staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbar in the work, said means comprising a slide movable in a guideway in said nozzle, a lever for operating said slide, a link connecting the slide and said lever, and a pair of arms of unequal lengths pivotally connected to said link and so arranged as to impart to said link a swinging movement,

about its pivotal connection to one of said arms in a direction to tip said nozzle substantially at the time in the operation of the driver when the crossbar of the staple is engaged by the deflector.

11. In a fastening-inserting machine, the combination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple to curve different portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the-different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of a driverguiding member having an outlet for the staples located opposite to the deflecting face of said 0 deflector, said guiding member being mounted to tip about an axis extending laterally of the line of drive of the staples, a stop for limiting tipping movement of said guiding member in one direction, a spring tending to hold said guiding member in the position determined by said stop, and means for operating said driver to drive a staple from said guiding member and for imparting to said guiding member near the end of the operative movement of the driver a tipping movement about its axis against the resistance of said spring to cause the staple-engaging end of the driver to move thereafter toward the work in a path substantially parallel to the deflecting face of the deflector.

12. In a fastening-inserting machine; the combination with a driver for driving staples, and a deflector for engaging the legs of each staple to curve difierent portions of the legs successively in the driving operation before the different respective portions enter the work to cause them to follow curved paths in the work, of a driver-guiding member having an outlet for the staples located opposite to the deflecting face of said deflector, said guiding member being mounted to tip about an axis extending laterally of the line of drive of the staples, and means for operating the driver comprising a slide movable in a guideway in said guiding member, a lever for operating said slide, a link connecting said lever and the slide, and a pair of arms pivotally connected to said link, said arms being of unequal lengths and so arranged as to cause the movement of said lever to be transmitted to said slide in a substantially straight-line path parallel to the driver to operate it to drive a staple from said guiding member and then in a direction at an angle to the driver to cause the guiding member to be tipped about its axis in the direction to move the staple-engaging end of the driver relatively to the deflector toward the work to force the staple fully into the work and to embed its crossbar in the work.

HAROLD ERNEST ELLIOTT. LAWRENCE MAWBEY. 

